Norb Vonnegut has worked hard to make a name for himself in fiction - or at least, his share of a name.

Vonnegut faces an unusual version of a common Google-age problem: the "doppelnamer," that person or people who share your name and come up in online search results, interfering with job hunts, Yelp ratings and life in general.

Vonnegut's name twin, of course, is the late, great novelist Kurt Vonnegut, his fourth cousin. Even though they share only a last name, that name is so well known by book lovers that Norb Vonnegut does not appear until the fourth page in "Vonnegut" Google results. And it's not as if Vonnegut, who lives in Rhode Island, is an unknown; his third financial thriller, "The Trust," was enthusiastically reviewed by the New York Times.

At least Vonnegut's name is linked to someone with a good reputation. Not so for Michael McAfee, an Ocean Beach (San Diego County) podcast producer who had an escaped convict for a doppelnamer. Tara Murphy, a recent law school graduate and blogger in Minnesota, has been dogged by a whole pack of Tara Murphys with overdue library books, DUI arrests and sexy pictures.

"We are a troubled and law-breaking bunch of women," said Murphy, who signed a recent e-mail "Tara 'The Real Deal' Murphy."

Image problems

With the proliferation of online records, news reports and mug-shot sites, the doppelnamer problem is common among the client base at Redwood City's Reputation.com, one of several firms that help people and companies improve their online image.

"I have clients who have told me it has hurt them in the interviewing process, or has caused unnecessary questions and friction with existing clients," said Polly Wood, a senior team lead at Reputation.com.

Unless your name is Bodkin Van Horn, you probably have doppelnamers, too. The website HowManyofMe.com can give you an estimated head count. A search of Google or LinkedIn can tell you what they've been up to.

People with problem doppelnamers "have to be aggressive in terms of claiming their online real estate," Wood said.

That means doing the things Reputation.com recommends for all clients who want to raise their visibility online - but doing them more. A few of the company's suggestions: actively participate in social networks such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, and create a website and maybe a blog linking to these social-media profiles.

Murphy has been trying, but she still finds it tough to set herself apart from the other Tara Murphys. Her name recognition is important to her as a future attorney and as author of two blogs, NeonEsquire.com about fashion law and GlossyEsquire.com about beauty.

"Just as I've been accused of being them, I'm afraid of them getting hold of my accolades," Murphy said.

She uses her middle initial, M., online - another Reputation.com suggestion. But that doesn't help much when at least one of the other Tara Murphys - the one who Murphy says ran up more than $500 in library fines - also shares her middle name, Maureen.

Beyond Google, attorneys have to worry about the reviews associated with their names on Yelp and other sites. But Murphy's biggest mistaken identity problem so far involved a database that's not on the Web: When applying to take the bar exam, she had to be fingerprinted to prove that she was not one of the Tara Murphys with arrest records, she said.

Potential risks

Sometimes Murphy worries that by putting herself out there online, she's inviting more negative associations. But she feels like she has to stake her claim.

"When I enter my name on Google, I don't think I'm on the first 10 pages," Murphy said. Instead, among the top results are racy photos of the Tara Murphy who appeared on the VH1 reality show "Ochocinco: The Ultimate Catch."

Vonnegut has also made a point of being active in social media, creating the website norbvonnegut.com and a Facebook page. He says he has seen his online recognition grow because of it.

"The search engines are starting to favor current news that's out there," he said. "I tend to pop up on social media more than (Kurt Vonnegut) does recently."

Google the whole name "Norb Vonnegut," and you see his website, his Twitter feed, the New York Times review of "The Trust" and his photo. He's tried to encourage readers to remember his whole name; his first name is just as big as his surname on his book covers.

Classmates confused

As for McAfee, his namesake trouble has mostly caused confusion for former classmates looking him up.

"They said, 'We Googled you and the first 12 things that popped up said you are on (America's) Most Wanted,' " McAfee said.

McAfee, too, strives to be active in social media, promoting his podcast about the Ocean Beach music scene, "A Sunny Place for Shady People."

But the biggest improvement in McAfee's doppelnamer situation came from law enforcement, when Michael McAfee - the felon, not the podcast producer - was captured and sent back to prison.